UPDATE: On Saturday, Ben Leatherdale proudly shows his bronze medal. An opponent defeated him in a match on Friday, meaning he was out of the running for winning gold. But he was still determined to earn a medal. He ended up placing third in the “Under 50 kg Men” category.
PENTICTON — It wasn’t the outcome Kelowna’s Ben Leatherdale was expecting, when an opponent defeated him within the first minute of a judo match.
“It just sucks to lose a match,” says Leatherdale with tears in his eyes. “Even if you fall, you’ve got to work hard.”
A lesson he’s learned from his coach, Rick Pollon.
“We teach them that it’s okay. It’s just a match and that you can grow and you forget what you did, and you move on,” says Pollon.
Leatherdale tries to do just that, because within five minutes, he’s back on the floor facing his next opponent.
This time, there’s much more on the line. Leatherdale fights to stay in the judo tournament for a chance to win silver or bronze. He comes out on top.
“I’m feeling exhilarated. It just reaffirms my position in this tournament, so I’m ecstatic.”
In a neighbouring building, Martina Antifay, 13, has learned from many of her own falls.
She’s a speed skater and has discovered it is better to stay calm, or else she may skid doing laps.
“I wanted to take it a bit easier because I didn’t want to wipe out, and yeah, I qualify for the next heat,” says Antifay.
Other athletes have learned it is better to erase the pressure and just enjoy the moment.
“I’m trying not to be nervous because it will take away from the fun,” says 12-year-old Jillian Beaudreau, a gymnast.
So far, the Thompson-Okanagan team has won 7 medals: 2 golds, 2 silvers and 3 bronzes.
For updated results, click here.
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